You can poke me, ever so gently, about a few subjects, and you will immediately know my POV (point of view) on the subject.
Note Dame Football – Over rated for the past 36 years
70’s movies – best movie decade ever
Dungeons and Dragons – Best game ever created
Youth Ministry – Discipleship is the most important aspect of youth programming, more than outreach, more than worship, more than anything and most youth ministries do not prioritize it.
I was at Burger King, The Whopper is the best hamburger ever btw, after church the other night and someone brought up problem people in the church and I said,
“You show me a problem person in the church and I’ll show you someone who has not been discipled.” I continued, “And why were they not discipled? And by discipled I mean disciplined and instructed not that they did not go through the 101 class at your church. That person is a problem and will continue to be a problem until some one cares enough, loves them enough to step in and invite them them into a discipleship relationship.”
They got my point of view in hurry and, because I offered it in gentleness, they received it. I was discipling them, even if they didn’t know it.
Why does my point of view matter, on any subject, but most importantly on discipleship? Because, I’ve been doing this thing called ministry for 30 years. My POV has been shaped, formed, tested and fired, like vase in a kiln, until now, it is virtually unbreakable.
Every blog post I write, podcast episode I record, and Youtube video I make is my POV for good or for ill, it is mine.
That does not mean my POV cannot change, it means until someone can prove to me that
~ camps/retreats aren’t the great greatest discipleship tool every youth ministry has
~ pray stations aren’t the single best way of slowing kids down to reflect
~ youth pastors still need coaching and discipleship regardless of where they went to school
~ youth workers don’t just need a plan they need a playbook
Then my point of view stands and will continue to stand.
If you don’t have a point of view about youth ministry,
you should get one, form one, write down about every aspect of your ministry.
If you have a point of view about youth ministry,
you should research it, share it, stand on it and defend it.
If you believe something is non-negotiable when it comes to your youth ministry,
speak up.
You might say,
“But Paul, people will disagree with me and it will make me uncomfortable” and to that I say, “Good”. Why? Because safety is overrated and stunts your spiritual growth.
Let me share with you a morning reading by Brianna Wiest, author of The Pivot Year, Day 59
“I know it seems like that the absolute worst thing is to be disapproved of, but the actual worst thing is to paralyze yourself under the guise that you might be able to avoid any friction”
To hate/avoid friction, disapproval and push back is to hate growth.
Have a point of view. Share it wisely. Share it passionately. Share it respectfully.
And eventually it becomes a conviction by which you live by and maybe become a hill worth dying on.